Microsoft’s eco system: cracks in the reliability
,----[ Quote ]
| PlayForSure
|
| PlayForSure (DRM codename: Janus) was introduced by Microsoft in 2004/2005 to
| mark players which have been certified to follow Microsoft’s dream list:
| Windows Media Player compatibility, DRM support, MTP-only support, and so on.
| Originally this was also an attempt to push Ogg Vorbis out of the field.
| The basic idea was that every player could be used on any Windows System
| which had Windows Media Player 10 installed. And that every player would play
| any music sold in any PlayForSure store.
|
| [...]
|
| Outlook Express and Hotmail
|
| Outlook Express is an e-mail client shipped with all Microsoft versions since
| Windows 98 and before Windows Vista. Although it was responsible for many
| large scaled virus attacks and spreads due to a horrible security concept and
| had many more, other technical shortcomings and problems it was widely used.
| And it was of course often used with Microsoft’s own E-Mail service, Hotmail.
|
| [...]
|
| OOXML
|
| The last problem is still in development, and the outcome is not really clear
| at the moment. But the root of the problem is ISO’s adoption of OOXML.
|
| [...]
|
| Final words
|
| The main problem behind these cracks in Microsoft’s eco system is of course
| the lack of well proved, open standards. But since Microsoft is not willing
| to support standards, the cracks are there now, and they are huge.
`----
http://liquidat.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/microsofts-eco-system-cracks-in-the-reliability/
Recent:
Linux on the server sees reliability gains
,----[ Quote ]
| Mainstream Linux distributions for servers have caught up substantially with
| Unix in terms of reliability over the past year, while Windows Server 2003
| downtime has risen by nearly 25 percent, according to a Yankee Group survey.
`----
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62040278,00.htm?scid=rss_z_nw
Microsoft’s credibility turning to junk while Linux revenue grows
,----[ Quote ]
| Sweeping changes are needed in Microsoft’s go-to-market approach, and it may
| find more success by creating products like Live Writer, which found a huge
| following right away. Continuing on its current path, the company will
| continue to destroy its credibility and build animosity with users looking
| for quality products on their terms.
`----
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure
%20/2008/04/10/microsofts-credibility-turning-to-junk-while-linux-revenue-grows/
http://tinyurl.com/5fojkd
Microsoft Plummets, Retail Falls While Beauty Gains in CoreBrand 2007 Brand
Power Rankings
,----[ Quote ]
| The annual "CoreBrand Brand Power 100" Branding Index(R) of 1,200 US
| corporations ranks Coca-Cola Company and Johnson & Johnson at #1 and #2
| respectively, unchanged since 2004. Meanwhile, Microsoft's corporate brand
| declined in stunning fashion over the past four years, falling from 11 in
| 2004 to 59 in 2007 Microsoft, a decline of 48 places!
`----
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=834308
,----[ Quote ]
| Would you believe... that Microsoft has dropped down to #86 within the
| Fortune Best Places to Work survey? That's down from #50 in 2007 and #42 in
| 2006. Like a rock. In a bad way. And who is #1 for two years in a row? Grab
| that chair and give it a big effen toss in the air to Google! Toot! They get
| bigger and they're still #1.
`----
http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2008/02/some-quick-quips-yahoo-86-and-mspoll.html
Apple has biggest impact on world consumers: survey
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft, the world's largest software maker was also a winner, but it
| received the dubious honor of the brand most readers wanted to argue with,
| and the one they most wanted to revamp. Voted into second place in the
| category was brand USA.
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSL2850164020080331
Bear Stearns's Advice To Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| Co-founder Bill Gates can't be thrilled with watching
| Ballmer drain the company's cash. He didn't get so rich by buying at the top
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| of the market.
`----
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/03/17/microsoft-bear-stearns-tech-ebiz-cx_ec_0316msft.html
Microsoft says to borrow money for Yahoo deal
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp said on Monday it may borrow money for the first time in its
| history to fund a portion of its $44.6 billion unsolicited offer for Yahoo
| Inc.
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUSN0455692920080205
Microsoft's DreamSpark – What a Giveaway
,----[ Quote ]
| The rest of the $44.6bn (£22.3bn) deal would be financed with an undisclosed
| amount of credit.
|
| What that means is that it must squeeze as much money as it can from its
| operations to fund that debt and still pay dividends to shareholders, who
| will be looking for some payback from the Yahoo takeover. Giving away
| software is the last thing it would want to do in these circumstances, and
| the DreamSpark announcement shows just how worried it is about the future.
`----
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/microsofts-dreamspark-%E2%80%93-what-giveaway
|
|
